Six Days, One Night
by jaderaid
Summary: Graduation from the Ninja Academy is supposed to be one of the best moments in a young shinobi's life. For Hyuuga Neji and Tenten, there is no one to see them graduate... unless one's sudden compulsion leads to friendship. :Formerly "Compulsions": NejiTen
1. Compulsions

"_All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: __**chance**__, __**nature**__, __**compulsions**__, __**habit**__, __**reason**__, __**passion**__ and __**desire**__."_ -Aristotle

01: Compulsions

Tenten grasped the thick blue silk of her new forehead protector with both hands and stared into her hazy reflection, broken up by the engraved Konoha mark. A wide grin broke her face as she leaned against the brick wall of the Academy and watched her classmates milling excitedly in the courtyard, their yells of triumph almost drowning out their parents' praise. She briefly contemplated sitting on the single swing for a better vantage point, but disregarded it to keep from displaying the awkward fact that she was there alone. Her long brown hair in two braided buns atop her head, she swiftly tied her forehead protector around her head and let her bangs spill down to frame its sides, displaying her achievement to any who glanced her way.

Eventually, she pushed herself off the wall and started to head into town, laying a hand on her pocket to access just how much money she'd saved. Maybe she'd treat herself to– She stopped as the sight of a young man, presumably a member of her graduating class from his age and brand-new forehead protector, making his way through the crowd alone with his hands in his pockets and his eyes closed in frustration. Impulse striking her, she wove around a tight knot of students and planted herself in his path, hands on her hips. "Congratulations on your graduation!" she announced loudly.

Stopping short, his eyes flew open to reveal orbs of a distinctive lavender-white. Suspicion crossed his face as his eyes flicked to her forehead protector, then measured her body and ultimately returned to her face, all without saying a word.

"Hyuuga... Neji-_kun_, right?" Tilting her head in puzzlement at his small nod, Tenten frowned and looked around. "No one came to see you graduate either, huh?"

His eyes narrowed. "Graduation from the Academy is no big deal," he said shortly. "There would be no reason for anyone to come."

"Well _excuse_ me," she huffed, crossing her arms and turning on her heel. "Sorry to bother you about something so _insignificant_. I forgot you _geniuses_ don't care for much of anything."

Neji watched her stomp away, admiring the grace hidden behind the mask of anger. She wasn't truly angry, he could tell– disappointed, but not angry. With a sigh, he went to rub his forehead, but his fingers collided with the cold metal of his new forehead protector. "_No one came to see you graduate either, huh?_" her voice rang in his mind as clear as if she had been standing right beside him instead of stalking away on the road into the main shopping district. That girl, that– what was her name? He didn't think he'd ever had her in any of his classes before, but that didn't mean much; he didn't pay much attention in class. Why bother when he already knew everything?

Perhaps it was that same boredom that guided his steps after her. Perhaps it was the irritation of someone knowing his name when he didn't know her. Perhaps he wanted to know why she'd bothered to notice that he was alone, too. Perhaps it was fate. For all he knew, these steps he was taking at this very second had already been preordained, and he was just following someone else's script. For whatever reason, he followed her into town, watching her bounce from shop to shop– never buying anything, just pausing long enough to insure that everyone took notice of her before she disappeared back into the bustle of shoppers. Her behavior confused him until he tapped a thumb against his forehead protector and smirked to himself. Of course– she wanted people to see that she'd graduated, whether she was conscious of it or not.

"Tenten-_chan_!"

As her head jerked around, Neji busied himself by peering into a display case, watching her reflection in the glass as she turned and headed toward the man who'd addressed her. Tenten. So that was her name. Almost as if drawn against his will, he ventured closer until he was staring at the stall directly behind her, shamelessly eavesdropping.

"Tenten-_chan_," the slightly overweight, older man addressed her familiarly as the pace of her footsteps increased until she stood before him. "How are you? I haven't seen you for a while!"

Neji risked a glance over his shoulder to catch her grin as she put her hands on her hips and leaned toward the older man, announcing loudly, "I was getting ready for graduation from the Academy, so I promised myself I wouldn't come back until I was a full-fledged ninja!"

Snorting through his nose, Neji heard the man respond to her leading statement with the question he knew he would ask. "And? You did it?"

"Of course!" The pride in her voice was unmistakable, even as she tried to hide it. "It's no big deal really."

Tuning out the rest of their conversation, Neji frowned. This false modesty didn't suit her. Her body language was screaming how she wanted to proclaim to the entire village that she'd graduated, and he wanted to know why. If only he'd managed to catch her last name, too, then he might be able to reconcile her face with information. Was she homeless, too? Though not homeless in the strictest sense of the word– after all, he had a place to sleep and food to eat– the lack of any kind of supporting family was unfortunately common for his generation. Many, many _shinobi_ had been killed when the Kyuubi attacked the village, and many more had perished in the destruction and unrest following. For whatever reason, he felt a strange kinship to this girl, Tenten, who he'd met just an hour ago.

An ungentle tug on his bound hair brought him from his musings and spun him around, his gaze sharpening into a glare. Only years of _shinobi_ training kept the guilty expression from crossing his face as Tenten released his long hair and stood before him, arms crossed and foot impatiently tapping the ground. A single stick of _dango_ in one hand, she deliberately took a bite and stared at him. "You wouldn't happen to be following me, would you, Hyuuga-_kun_?"

"..." Unable to answer honestly, he paused for the barest of seconds before muttering quickly, "Congratulations on your graduation, Tenten."

She blinked and pulled the bare stick from her mouth, pink lips parting in surprise. "Um. Thank you?" Suspicion entered her voice, and Neji had the eerie feeling that their earlier roles had been reversed. "But how do you know my name? I only know of you because you're a genius, we've never met before."

Unintentionally starting like a kid caught in a lie, he looked away from her penetrating stare. "I... heard that guy say your name," he admitted, glaring at the old _dango_ seller as if it were somehow his fault.

"So you _were_ following me." The way she gripped the stick was similar to the way one grasped a _senbon_ needle, he noticed uncomfortably from the corner of his eye. But all of a sudden she relaxed and offered him a smile. "You could have just asked, you know."

"Ah. Then what's your name?"

"Tenten."

"Your _full_ name."

Fiddling with the _dango_ stick between her fingers, it was her turn to avoid his eyes. "That is my full name, Hyuuga-_kun_," she said finally, glaring as if to dare him to comment.

He gritted his teeth at the sound of his family name, then smirked and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well then, Tenten, since all I can do is refer to you by your given name, by all rights you should call me Neji."

"That's kind of rude. Don't I even merit a '_san_,' Neji?" His name slipped from between her lips as if she'd been using it comfortably for years.

"I see I've lost the '_kun_,'" he pointed out drily.

"It's only fair." Her retort caught him off guard, and he stared harder at this girl. None before had possessed the temerity to argue with him just by the sight of his eyes, let alone knowing that he was a member of the most prestigious clan in all of Konohagakure.

"Hmph." The tiniest of smiles crossed his face, and he jammed his hands in his pockets. "I'm going to get something to eat. You're welcome to accompany me."

Her eyebrows rose, and she grinned. "What, like a date?"

Unflustered, he just rolled his eyes and started to walk away. "As long as I don't have to pay for your meal."


	2. Chance

"_All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: __**chance**__, __**nature**__, __**compulsions**__, __**habit**__, __**reason**__, __**passion**__ and __**desire**__."_ –Aristotle

02: Chance

Tenten placed most of her weight on her hands upon the long seat and swung her legs back and forth under the desk. Staring out the window at the shadow-dappled courtyard, she could barely contain her smile. After years of studying and training, some within this very room in the Academy, she'd finally graduated yesterday. Today marked her first full day as a _kunoichi_; the day when she would be assigned to a cell of two other students and a _jounin_ and begin doing missions. She resisted the urge to hum triumphantly as she cast her gaze around the room, finally letting it settle upon her new friend, Hyuuga Neji, sitting beside her with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

"Hey, do you think we'll be on the same team?"

Without even opening his eyes, Neji simply snorted through his nose. "If we're fated to be."

"Someday you're going to have to explain your 'destiny' fascination to me," she responded, allowing her grin to break free even though he couldn't see it. He was an odd one, this Hyuuga Neji, but he was surprisingly nice for being a genius... well, nice if one managed to ignore his biting sarcasm, his presumptuous vocabulary, and his superiority complex. Other than that, he wasn't that unapproachable; he'd even paid for her meal last night as an apology for stalking her to find out her name.

"Hmph." Opening one eye, he somehow managed to simultaneously be incredulous and insufferable. "We are all born to the same fate, though–"

Two sharp raps on the chalkboard interrupted his explanation as Umino Iruka-_sensei_ lifted a notebook from his desk in the front of the room. Satisfied that he'd gained everyone's attention, Iruka flipped the notebook open with one hand and held it before his face. "Your team assignments are as follows," he said without preamble. "Team One: Ukita Shiro, Nagato Yuukie, and Kanda Takashi. Team Two: Rock Lee, Hyuuga Neji, and Tenten."

She turned to him with a smile and whispered, "What d'ya know? It must be fate."

**A/N: I've never been a big fan of the drabble-format, but... though short, I think this got my point across.**


	3. Reason

"_All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: __**chance**__, __**nature**__, __**compulsions**__, __**habit**__, __**reason**__, __**passion**__ and __**desire**__."_ –Aristotle

**A/N: This is actually nothing like what I'd originally planned for this segment. I'd intended to use the prompt "nature" and analyze Neji's post-battle relationship with Hinata from Tenten's PoV. That said, I'm ridiculously proud of how this turned out; I wrote it in two hours; it's now almost midnight. It being almost midnight might be why I think it's so awesome, though.**

03: Reason

Tenten slowly drifted to consciousness, cracking one eye open for the briefest of instants before squeezing it shut again, grimacing in pain as what felt like lightning shuddered through her entire body. Then her eyes flew open, and she jolted upright, a terrible shrieking fear freezing her heart in her chest as she stared at her feet, motionless beneath the stiff white hospital sheet. Her spine felt as though it had been severed, and horrific visions of paralysis exploded into the forefront of her mind. Almost afraid to try, she held her breath and tried to wiggle her toes.

They moved, and she managed a sigh of relief between cracked lips. The acrid taste of her own blood still coated her teeth, and a massive bruise probably covered her back, but she would recover. Tenten slumped back against the too-soft pillow and let her eyes flutter shut, overwhelmed for the moment by her minor victory. Eventually, she planted both hands on either side of her and shifted upright against the headboard and examined her surroundings. From the medical equipment beeping softly in an adjacent room and the sterile, lifeless surroundings, she presumed she was in the hospital. Why–?

Ah. The preliminary match. Another grimace, this one more reproachful than painful, twisted her lips at the thought. She'd lost in a matter of minutes to that Sand girl... Temari. How had Lee done? And Neji?

As if her thoughts had summoned him, a reluctant knock sounded at her open door; Neji leaned into her room. "You're finally conscious," he remarked in way of greeting, crossing the room.

Her eyes narrowed, Tenten observed him carefully as he moved to the white-curtained window on the opposite wall. To all appearances, he was completely uninjured. "I take it your match went well?"

"In a manner of speaking," he responded cryptically. Without asking if she wanted the window open, he undid the latch and let the summer breeze waft the curtains, carrying the fresh scent of cut grass and the sound of birds chirping.

"Who did you fight? What about Lee?" Wincing as her back protested at the movement, she forced herself to sit up straight.

"Lee..." He paused, obviously searching for the words.

For the first time since she'd met him a little over a year ago, Tenten saw Neji at a loss for words, and her heart dripped ice water into her veins. "What? What happened?"

"Lee fought that Sand ninja. Gaara." Just the mention of his name was enough to chill the room. Neji turned and stared into the corner, pressing his back to the open window and crossing his arms. "And he lost."

In halting sentences, in as few words as possible, he described the match and the results until Tenten felt sick. Like a child, she pressed her hands to her ears as if by not hearing it, it wouldn't happen. She felt tears welling in her eyes and looked away so Neji wouldn't see them. A heavy silence fell over the room, one the ambient noise filtering through the window couldn't pierce.

One notices the tiniest details when trying to think of other things. For the first time since she'd awoken, she realized that her hair was down, presumably taken out by the medics for some reason that was beyond her abilities to process at this moment. The hair on her arms prickled uncomfortably at the sudden frost that felt like it had covered her entire body, and she squeezed her eyes shut as the sunlight streaming through a crack in the drifting curtains was blindingly bright.

And Neji said nothing. He just continued to stare into that blank corner.

Her tongue feeling like a lead weight in her mouth, she swallowed hard and finally managed to work up the courage to break the silence. "I want to go see him," she whispered.

"You can't." Merciless in its matter-of-factness, he met her eyes unflinchingly. "He's in intensive care. Gai-_sensei_ has all but camped outside his room, and they still won't let him in."

Anger surged through her veins at his callous tone. This wasn't the anger of stories, white-hot in its intensity. This fury was cold, numb, as if it hadn't yet realized its full potential because it still didn't believe it was real. It was cold enough to deaden the pain in her back, and she forced her complaining body off the bed, stumbling to the door with bare feet, wearing nothing but her mesh undershirt and pants.

"Where are you going?" He hadn't moved from his position against the wall, but she could feel his eyes analyzing her every movement.

Her legs wobbled as she spun around, but sheer rage kept her upright. "I'm going to kill that Sand bastard," she growled, grabbing the doorknob for support.

"Can you?"

Those damn eyes, as cold as her wrath, penetrated her soul and silently asked the question lurking in the back of her mind. If she hadn't been able to beat one of the Sand ninja, how was she to have a hope of beating the one who'd fought– and won– against Lee? Fresh tears threatened to swim in her eyes again, but she refused to let them fall, freezing them there as if every liquid in her body had turned to ice. "I'm damn well going to try."

"And when you fail?"

"Don't you mean 'if?'"

Ignoring her bitter retort, Neji returned her glare calmly. "_When_ you fail," he reiterated, "there will be a diplomatic incident of unheard-of proportions. Relations with Sunagakure are strained at the best of times, and this is not the best of times."

"Then what do you want me to do, huh?" Her wrath must have been warming; tears of frustration melted and streamed down her face, and she spun swiftly on her heel to hide her weakness. "You want me to just let this go?" Tenten could hear her voice choking up, and she pressed both hands to her eyes to try and stem the flow. "His entire life was dedicated to becoming a ninja! You should know that better than anyone!" She could feel her heart shattering within her chest, her icy blood thawing and overflowing. "All he wanted to do was surpass you and be recognized and now he'll never be able to do that!" Fists clenching so hard that her knuckles whitened, she fought the urge to slam her hand through the plaster wall dividing her room from the next. "Don't you feel anythi–?"

The summer breeze drifted the curtains, and before she even registered the movement he was behind her, his arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Shock momentarily halted her tears and stunned her diatribe, widening her brown eyes.

"You think I haven't thought of that?" his voice whispered hoarsely in her ear. "But I know firsthand about the pain following diplomatic disasters, and I don't want to go through that again. I don't want _you_ to go through that."

"Then what do you want me to _do_?" Tenten turned and buried her face in his chest, feeling the soft fabric soaking up her tears as she clutched his shirt and cried. She could feel the warmth of his body through the holes in her mesh undershirt, felt the strength in his limbs as he gave her what she didn't have. His clothes smelled like sweat and blood; he hadn't changed since the exam.

"Tenten," he murmured eventually. "Train with me."

"What?"

He pulled her closer and rested his chin atop her head, closing his eyes. "Train with me. I'll kill Gaara in the final rounds of the _chuunin_ exam, but I'll need your help. And I'll kill him."

She let her eyes flutter shut, tears leaking from between the lids. "Okay."

There was a strange warmth dripping through her loose hair, but Tenten surmised it must have been sweat from the summer heat. Neji couldn't be crying, too.


	4. Nature

"_All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: __**chance**__, __**nature**__, __**compulsions**__, __**habit**__, __**reason**__, __**passion**__ and __**desire**__."_ –Aristotle

04: Nature

The Sand and the Sound had been driven back from their village, but the cost had been immense. Disheveled strings of hair freed from her twin buns threading down her face, dried blood caking her cheek from an earlier wound, Tenten knelt at the side of a dead _chuunin_ and gently closed his eyes with one hand. Smoke rose from the remnants of destroyed buildings, and the faint odor of spilt blood permeated every breath. As she stood and gazed numbly at the devastation around her, she couldn't help but feel a sharp pang of loss.

None of her missions, none of the death and destruction she'd seen before, had prepared her for the sense of horror and pain that filtered through her soul. It was one thing to see others' hopes and dreams battered and crushed before their eyes. It was quite another to be the one in that chaotic maelstrom.

Lying among the dead and wounded was her childhood innocence, just another casualty of the frenzied battle.

What had once been her best outfit, the dark teal shirt and chocolate brown pants, was smudged with dirt and torn beyond repair, but she didn't even care anymore. Faintly, she wondered if she'd be able to care about anything ever again.

A forgotten _tanto_ clutched weakly in one hand, she stumbled further down the street, leaving a trail of blood dripping sporadically behind her from the blade's tip until she emotionlessly wiped it on her pants. There was a pressure mounting somewhere in her chest and behind her eyes as if she were going to cry, but her eyes remained dry. Tears would have blurred the surreal scene around her, and her own sniffing would have blotted out the screams, but no such thing would be coming. Such weakness would be a respite, but she'd left such feelings in the dust with her innocence.

"They're gone."

Hollowly, she raised her gaze and blinked once as Neji staggered from an alleyway, pressing his hand against the closest wall to keep himself upright. Of course– his Chakra had been almost gone from his fight with Naruto, and then this attack... Tenten broke into a run and took one of his arms, supporting him over her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

Limply, his shoulder rose and fell in a weak shrug. "The exam... what happened?"

The exam. Tenten could have laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. "That's not important right now." Stopping in the middle of the street, she took him by both shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Are you wounded?"

His hand reached up, and he brushed the scratch on her cheek uncertainly. "You are." Neji's eyes trailed down her body, taking in her ripped and bloodstained clothes. As if to reassure himself that the injuries weren't serious, his hand lightly touched every clotted wound, pausing at a long slash across her belly.

Tenten hissed in pain and pulled back, covering the long cut with her own hand. "I'm fine. A lot of this blood isn't mine." Wrapping her arm around his waist, she guided him across the street and lowered him to the ground, sitting beside him underneath the remnants of what had once been a sweets shop.

She could tell from his eyes that he didn't believe her, but he didn't press the point. Neji leaned back against the splintered wood with a grimace and closed his eyes.

Tenten drew her knees into her chest and rested her head on his shoulder, watching Leaf ninja dashing here and there, their faces all stamped with the same weary, haggard expression she knew she had to be wearing. Corpses littered the ground, but from the dirt covering their bodies, she could barely discern their uniforms. Did it really matter what side anyone was on? The fact remained that the streets were filled with the dead.

"Are you alright?" With that uncanny sense, Neji felt her distress without even opening his eyes.

She gritted her teeth, but relaxed and leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder. "I never thought... we'd be the ones being attacked. You know?" Closing her own eyes to the horror around, she let her mind drift, supported by his strong shoulder. "I never really cared about collateral damage on missions, but when it's your own village..."

Awkwardly, Neji shifted to wrap his arm around her shoulders. "I know what you mean," he said finally, opening his eyes and glancing up at the sky. "But we'll recover and rebuild."

"You think so?"

Twining among the smoke rising from the destroyed buildings, two birds frolicked high above. "It's human nature."


	5. Desire

"_All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: __**chance**__, __**nature**__, __**compulsions**__, __**habit**__, __**reason**__, __**passion**__ and __**desire**__."_ –Aristotle

05: Desire

There was something different driving Neji's motivation. She could sense it in every exchange of blows. Sparring open-handed, she ducked under his arm and drove up, only to have her uppercut blocked by a forearm strike. Her breath came hard as she fought, but with mounting satisfaction she continued to hold her own, forcing him back on the defensive for a moment.

"You've been practicing," he complimented, fluidly dropping his center of gravity to kick out and sweep her feet from under her.

With a strangled outcry, Tenten thudded against the hard dirt of the training field. Gritting her teeth, she slapped the ground and rolled backward, propelling herself into the air. "I hate it when you do that!" she managed, gasping for breath.

"Take you down?"

"Talk while _fighting!_" Her last word became a yell as she threw a straight jab.

Ignoring the obvious feint, Neji tilted his head and let the punch fly past him, catching her right hand as it prepared to uppercut again. Ducking into her inner ring of defense, he absorbed her hasty knee to his abdomen with a grunt and used its energy to fuel his palm-strike to her chest. Even as he did and she flew back, her lips twisted in a pained grin.

Questioningly, he tilted his head, then glanced down to see a wire threaded around his neck. "Wha–?" And her momentum dragged him to the ground with her. Faster than he could react, Tenten scrambled atop him and pinned his body with her own, a _kunai_ to his neck.

There was silence for a moment, broken only by their heavy breathing and the sound of the wind rustling through the trees. "I thought," Neji said finally, raising an eyebrow at her face only several centimeters away, "that we agreed not to use weapons."

"I cheated. I'm a ninja, after all."

"Ah." Closing his eyes for the briefest of seconds, his Chakra exploded, surprising her just long enough for him to wrestle the _kunai_ from his neck and flip her over. Pinning both her hands with his own, he knelt atop her, his heavier weight restraining her more effectively than she had him.

Tenten tensed, then relaxed, knowing she couldn't break his grip. "I thought we agreed on no Chakra." Her chest heaved beneath him from exertion, and he abruptly rolled off her.

"I'm a ninja. I cheated." Without looking at her, he sat up and focused on catching his breath. Crossing his arms, he closed his eyes and inhaled slowly, trying to calm the way his heart had suddenly jumped in his chest. Assuming it to be dehydration, he reached toward the water bottle set neatly atop a flat rock.

Faintly, the sound of hammering drifted on the wind from the repairs being conducted in the village. As Neji had predicted, Konohagakure was rebuilding. Tenten sat up as the wind shifted, carrying the sounds away, and stared at his back. "Neji... can I ask you something?"

A glance over his shoulder was the only response she received as he raised the bottle to his lips, but she took it as consent. "Your match with Naruto... your fighting style changed right after that. Why?"

"What are you talking about?" His breathing under control, he turned to face her, resting his hands on his crossed legs and setting the bottle down again.

"You've become more..." she trailed off, trying to think of the word, then shrugged. "Gai-_sensei_ would say 'hot-blooded'."

His eyes narrowed, but she pressed on. "Before you always just walked through training sessions, using your superior skill to overwhelm opponents. Now you're actually trying to improve."

He leaned forward, the rare small smile crossing his lips. "You noticed."

"It's difficult not to." With a self-depreciating laugh, she rubbed her chest where he'd struck her.

Glancing away, he shrugged. "Maybe that match brought something to my attention. Maybe our fates aren't as set in stone as I'd assumed."

"So, what does that mean for us?" Tenten shuffled around to peer at his face.

"I don't know," he admitted softly. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

"So you think... if you work hard enough... maybe the Hyuuga clan will acknowledge you as something more than branch family?"

He tilted his head back to look into the sky. "Maybe." Tapping his forehead with his thumb, he added, "This curse can't be removed."

"I kn–"

"But the protector said something to me. When I lost," he continued as if he hadn't heard her. Words tumbled from his lips like a confession, and his voice was soft enough that, if she hadn't known better, she would have thought he'd forgotten that she was there. "Something about how a bird can be caged, but once it knows how, it will open the lid of its basket with its own beak, for it desires to fly freely in the sky again."

Silently, Tenten stood and walked a few steps back to where she'd laid the massive scroll she used when training, the one that contained the signs for all her weapons.

Behind him, Neji heard her summon something. Sensing a thread of murderous intent like a subtle poison, he leapt to his feet and whirled, hands shooting up at the sudden glint of steel from a _katana_.

A soft smile adorned her lips as he caught her wrists above his head and stared questioningly at her, eyes flicking to the live blade in her hand. "Well," she whispered, leaning in to make sure he could hear her, her nose almost brushing his, "let's see about breaking that cage."


	6. Habit

**A/N: Apologies to everyone; this was completed on Sunday to be submitted for the _Night of Sevens_ challenge on NejiTen, but due to a glitch on FFnet's part (it kept telling me there was an error with the login/submission area and to try again in five minutes... it didn't work in five minutes-- this is my first time able to access my account) these chapters are only being uploaded now. Sorry, and please enjoy the closing episodes!**

"_All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: __**chance**__, __**nature**__, __**compulsions**__, __**habit**__, __**reason**__, __**passion**__ and __**desire**__."_ –Aristotle

06: Habit

It was early yet. The sun had just begun to peek over the edges of the horizon as Tenten sat alone in the center of Team Gai's familiar training field, breathing slowly through her nose as she attempted to clear her mind. Clasping her hands before her, she formed the most basic of seals and focused her Chakra, concentrating on sensing the subtle weave of the energy flow within her own body.

Her teeth gritted with a sudden burst of anger, but she breathed in slowly through her nose and attempted to dispel it through an exhale, consciously forcing herself to relax. Inhale. Exhale. Envision white. Envision black. Chakra.

One by one, she felt her muscles tense and relax under her will, letting her anger flow into the ground.

It stung a little, the feeling of being the only one left behind as the rest of her team left to pursue Sasuke. Her fists clenched and released. It stung a little, being the only one left in the training field as Lee underwent further rehabilitation and Neji trained with the head of the Hyuuga clan. Tears of frustration stung her eyes. They were all getting so much stronger, and she hadn't progressed at all. She hadn't even been considered for the mission, the mission that would have been the most important in her life.

She'd forgotten she'd been focusing energy, and her sudden rage of emotion fueled it further until her tentative grasp snapped and it exploded like a silent paper bomb, scattering Chakra in a tidal wave through the clearing.

"You need to work on your control," a sudden voice echoed loudly in what had been complete silence.

Tenten whirled, eyes narrowing then widening in surprise. "Neji? I thought you were training with Hiashi-_sama_."

His arms crossed over his chest, one foot propped comfortably against a tree trunk, Neji's lips twitched in a small grin as he shook his head. As he pushed off the tree and approached her, a slight stiffness in one shoulder and a reluctance to use his stomach muscles were the only signs of his nearly-fatal wounds. To an untrained eye, he seemed fully healed. "He had clan business to attend to."

"This early in the morning?" She shaded her eyes as she glanced into the sunrise.

With a shrug, he closed the distance between them. "Regardless, I had somewhere I needed to be."

"Oh?"

"Every morning we trained here together. Since the _chuunin _exams." Inhaling slowly, she felt him absorb her freed Chakra and offer a small smile as he dropped back with only the slightest grimace into his _Jyuuken_ stance. "I'm finally healed enough to train."

"Are you crazy?" Incredulously, she placed her hands on her hips and leaned in to study his face. "You just got out of the hospital yesterday; you're in no shape for training!"

"Exactly my point." Without relaxing his stance, Neji raised an eyebrow. "My muscles need reconditioning. There's only so much exercise one can do without physically moving, and my endurance is weak."

"Then we'll spar open hand. No weapons, no Chakra." Tenten dropped back into her fighting stance, the smallest of grins crossing her face. "I won't go easy on you just because you're injured."

"Understood." Breathing in slowly, he extended his arms before him and snapped his hands into ready position. Exhaling in a rush, he dashed forward, leading with a jab to her face.

Tenten ducked and closed the distance, slapping aside his guarding hand to elbow him brutally in the solar plexus. Jumping back before he could trap her arm in a lock, they paused for a moment in stalemate.

One hand on his abdomen, Neji raised a slender eyebrow. "You weren't kidding about not going easy on me."

She laughed, clear and loud. "Babying you wouldn't help you get stronger."

In unison this time, both ran toward each other, their hands and feet flying in a flurry of blows motivated more by instinct and reflex than any premeditated plan of attack. Neither could score a hit on the other as they twirled around each other in an intricate dance, sweat flying around them like rain. Neither held back as each poured their entire beings into this battle. Though their arms numbed from blocking and being blocked, and legs burned from constant leaping and tumbling, neither combatant was willing to surrender to exhaustion.

As each tired, their attacks became sloppier. Neji caught her wrist and twisted it behind her back, only to release it as Tenten went with the motion and drove her knee upward. Turning to the side, she altered her position and snapped a side kick without setting her foot down, but he caught it at the ankle just centimeters from his face and flipped her to the ground. Her back thudded hard against the dirt, but she rolled and snapped another kick, forcing him to leap away.

And then he saw his opening as she charged in with a right cross, letting it seem to slip past his guard as he pivoted on one foot. Sweet surprise crossed her face at her miscalculation as she overbalanced, and Neji swooped in to seize the opportunity, grabbing her wrist and twisting it behind her body again. This time he pulled her to him, releasing her wrist for the briefest of instants to wrap one arm around her waist to pin her arms against his own body. Twining his fingers with hers, to an outside observer it would have seemed they were simply holding hands. Tenten's grimace of pain as he bent her first two fingers backward belayed that image, and she sagged in his grip, relinquishing the battle.

"Do you ever get tired of winning all the time?"

He snorted through his nose with a kind of sardonic amusement. She felt his breath brushing the top of her head as he released her fingers, but didn't let go of her hand. "I came close to losing against that Sound monster," Neji admitted quietly. "I need to train more and more until I can see all the way."

"Neji...?" Tenten felt his arms tense against her.

"I couldn't see it, Tenten. You know almost as well as I do the weaknesses of these eyes." Staring blankly into the distance, he seemed to have forgotten he was holding her. "I need to be able to see it."

"And you will." Her voice broke through his reverie, and he looked down to see her following his line of sight to the shimmering orange fading to blue as the sun broke over the tree line, bathing the clearing with sunlight. "You're a true genius, Neji. If anyone can do it, you can."

"Tenten." He rested his chin atop her head and closed his eyes. "Thank you."

"What for?" Tilting her head, she twisted against him to look at his face.

A sudden gasp burst from between her lips as his grip suddenly tightened. "It's because you think I'm a genius that I found the strength to win my battle," he murmured in her ear. "You believe in me. Thank you."

She closed her eyes and leaned back, resting her head against his chest gently. "You're welcome." In a sudden shift of mood, she turned before he could react and poked him in the chest. "But don't you dare leave me out of a mission like that again."

Mouth slightly open, his hands loosely around her waist, Neji said nothing as she crossed her arms and glared into his eyes. "If you're going to see everything," she whispered, gazing into his eyes unflinchingly, "I want to see it with you."


	7. Passion

"_All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: __**chance**__, __**nature**__, __**compulsions**__, __**habit**__, __**reason**__, __**passion**__ and __**desire**__."_ –Aristotle

07: Passion

Her cheeks flushed pink from the few sips of _saké_ she'd stolen from Gai-_sensei_'s cup, Tenten skipped backward down the street, her hands clasped behind her back and a wide grin splayed across her face. "You did it, Neji!"

"Yes, I know." Neji closed his eyes and shook his head, allowing only the smallest smile to caress his lips as he followed her.

"The first _chuunin_ of our team, the first _jounin_..." Twirling on one foot, she raised her hands high in the air. "Take that, fate!" she called to the crescent moon shining high above the streetlamps illuminating the street.

"Alright, that's enough." Lunging forward and grabbing her hands, he forced them down to her sides. "People are staring."

"Oh please, we're half of Team Gai. They're used to it by now."

As she giggled, Neji had to concede the point, though the more ridiculous antics were usually done by their bushy-browed teammates. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he glanced up at the sky as they resumed walking. Neither had any destination in mind, but their slow footsteps didn't falter. It was enough, after all these years, to simply walk in silence and be content.

Turning down a side street, they made their way into another shop-lined thoroughfare, their beckoning lanterns shining invitingly through the night. Spinning abruptly again, Tenten grabbed his hand without warning. "I have an idea! Come on."

"What?" Neji didn't resist as she led him down the street, weaving around couples and groups of people exiting and entering restaurants and shops.

"When Gai-_sensei_ took us to dinner, we never ordered dessert." Her eyes twinkled as she glanced back over her shoulder. "It'll be my treat."

"As long as you're paying."

As she ducked under the banners lining the doorway of the sweets shop, Neji extricated his hand, steps slowing as he stared up at the building. Looking around, he laughed quietly. This was the same shop in front of which they'd first met, the same shop that had been destroyed during the _chuunin_ exams that they'd taken shelter under. He shook his head helplessly and pushed aside the banners to walk beneath and enter the shop.

From his position just inside the doorway, he could see her leaning against the counter, one finger pressed to her pursed lips, her other pointing at different foods within the case. The ambience of the shop was enough to muffle her words, but he shook his head again and smiled at her enthusiasm. He crossed his arms and leaned back, casing the dimly-lit establishment in a never-forgotten habit of constant awareness, but not once did his attention stray from his teammate.

Receiving two steaming cups, she smiled and thanked the man behind the counter. Before she'd even turned and beckoned, Neji was already making his way through to meet her. "Come on." Handing one of the cups to him, she led the way to the table in the corner beside the window; more barely-registered _shinobi_ habits, this seat allowed one of them to keep an eye on the street outside while the other could observe the restaurant itself. "I ordered us some cake, but it'll take a few minutes for it to be prepared. They just ran out before we got here."

"Cake?" Taking the seat to stare out the window, Neji raised an eyebrow. "I never knew you were into Western foods."

Leaning closer, she confided, "It's the special, so it's on sale."

He snorted through his nose. "I should have known."

With a glare, she huffed and crossed her arms, leaning back in her rickety wooden chair. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing offensive." Neji nodded in acknowledgement to the waiter who leaned over their table to light the small candle on the side. "In any case, thank you for buying it."

"I never paid you back for all those years ago." Sipping her tea, she smiled over the rim. "Remember? You bought me dinner here when we first met."

"I do, actually."

"It seems like such a long time ago, but it's only been... five years?"

He shrugged. "Four or five." Lifting his own cup from the table, he paused before drinking and stared out the window.

Tenten sighed wistfully and propped her elbows on the table, resting her chin on her fists. "A _jounin_ in four years... if that isn't a good start at breaking the cage, I don't know what is."

"Mm." He nodded once and looked at her over the table. "A lot of it is because of you."

"Well, maybe I should train with me more often; then I can be a _jounin_, too." Her smile sobered. "I guess... you won't be part of Team Gai anymore, will you?"

Neji set down his cup with a little more force than necessary, splashing tea over the edges. Shaking drops of the steaming liquid from his fingers, he reached over calmly and took a paper napkin from beside the candle. Its flickering flame lit his face at a curious angle, casting a deep shadow over his eyes. "I don't know," he said eventually.

"It would be in your best interest." Her body language a study in forced nonchalance, she crossed her arms and stared out the window, stirring her tea unconsciously with her finger. "The head family will be able to see your prowess better if you work individually. At this point, we'll just slow you down."

"I don't think–"

"It's politics, Neji. Clan politics," she cut him off roughly. "I've been around you long enough to know how clans work, even if I'm not a part of one. The Hyuuga clan elders don't want to see a branch family member succeed, so they'll do anything to overlook you."

Silently, the waiter set down a slice of chocolate cake between them. Neither lifted one of the forks set neatly on the fudge-drizzled white plate, even as its enticing aroma drifted across the table.

"Enough," Tenten announced finally, picking up a fork and uncomfortably meeting his eyes. "We're supposed to be celebrating."

Without a word, Neji shaved off a narrow bite with his fork and put it in his mouth. "For being the special, it's good," he offered. "Listen, Tenten–"

"I don't want to talk about this right now." Again, she cut him off, focusing intently on her own bite balanced precariously on the fork.

"Please don't cry."

She flinched and tore her eyes away, dropping the fork on the table with a clatter. "I'm not going to hold you back, Neji," she snapped. "I want you to be happy. I want you to be able to tell the head family just where they can shove their destiny crap." Picking up her fork, she finally took a bite, closing her eyes as if to savor the taste. "But my job is done now. You don't need me anymore, if you even did in the first place." Carefully setting the fork back down, she wiped her lips with a napkin and stood. "Congratulations on your promotion," she said quietly, in an eerie mimic of the first thing she'd ever said to him.

"Tenten–"

And then she was gone, swiftly vanishing through the line standing before the counter. Neji took one look at the cake and picked up the plate, carrying it to the waiter. "Would you please," he asked, "put this in a box for me?"

Tenten broke into a full out sprint as soon as she was clear of the shop, tears blurring her vision. People scattered before her as she fled the town and its bright lights, leaving it behind until, gasping for breath, she stumbled into their familiar training field, lit only by the crescent moon and stars, and collapsed. Drawing her knees in to her chest, she buried her face in her arms and wept silently, pressing her back to the worn wooden post marked with the number 2.

She wouldn't blame him when he decided to set out on his own. He was easily the match of Gai-_sensei_ or Kakashi-_sensei _in terms of power. He could even be ANBU if he really wanted. She'd seen the look in his eyes on those rare occasions when they would discuss the Hyuuga clan, the longing hidden behind anger and bitterness. She understood his feelings so well it hurt; the need to belong, the need to be acknowledged... On some level, she'd understood him from their first meeting in the Academy courtyard, been able to sense their kindred spirits.

She pulled her knees in tighter and cried. Maybe if she cried hard enough now, she wouldn't later.

"You forgot this."

His voice whispered with the wind as Neji sat next to her, the silver light reflecting in his eyes and allowing them to shine through the shadows. Silently, he offered the wrapped box of cake, setting it down at her feet when she made no move to take it. "Tenten, please, don't cry." Tentatively he reached out with one hand and lifted her chin, wiping her tears with the other. "I never had any intention of leaving Team Gai. None whatsoever."

"But–"

"There is no 'but.'" Neji shifted closer to her and stared into her eyes. "Wasn't it always you who told me to make my own destiny? I'm choosing, right here, right now, not to leave Team Gai. No matter what."

"Why?"

"Because Lee would fall apart without a rival." Cautiously, he stroked her cheek, wiping away the tears. "Because Team Gai needs four members to be Team Gai." When she didn't move his hand, he shifted his grip to brush some stray strands of hair from her face, disheveled from her run. "Because I want to stay here... with you."

Her eyes widened, but before she could respond he closed the distance between them and seized her lips with a kiss. Closing his eyes, Neji blindly wrapped his other arm around her waist and gently guided their fall to the ground. He could still taste the crumbs of chocolate cake on her lips mixed with the salt of her tears and the sweet honey in her green tea. After an eternity, he pulled away, reluctance and indecision clear on his face.

Tenten's chest heaved as she gasped for breath, staring up at her stoic teammate with undisguised shock. Her heart pounded as if she'd been running for kilometers, and she barely managed, "You'd give up a place in the main family... for me?"

Silence. He drew back a little, until the moon backlighting him shadowed his face. Neji closed his eyes and though for a moment. A cloud passed over the moon and cast the entire training field into darkness.

And then it passed. "Yes," he whispered hoarsely. "If you'd have me."

Her eyes softened, and she reached up to touch his face and bring him back into the moonlight. "Neji..." Pushing herself up on her elbows, Tenten pulled him closer. "I..." Stammering over a few words, she shrugged and smiled at the confusion clear in his eyes. Trailing her hand across his face, she stroked his neck and pulled him in. "You may have convinced me of love at first sight," she breathed, her warmth breath caressing his face.

Before he could speak, she propelled herself up and brushed his lips with her own, closing her eyes as he took the opportunity and kissed her back, harder. The pressure of his body against hers slowly forced her to the ground, but she didn't care. Her breasts heaved beneath him, and when they broke apart to breathe, she moaned as he ran a hand down her body and kissed her again and again. All the passion they'd both repressed for years boiled out in their kisses and the touch of their bodies.

"Neji..." she whispered, running her tongue across his neck and grinning as he only groaned in response. "Congratulations on your promotion."

Trying to regain his dignity, he pulled back and raised an eyebrow. "Well, I suppose this is a little better than dinner and cake."

--Six Days, One Night--

.:OWARI:.

**A/N: I want to thank everyone who's been following this since I've posted it: 8,816 words in two weeks is a new record for me, I'm fairly certain, and it was thanks to the interest I've received from my readers and reviewers! Thank you all so much!**

**To those following my other multi-chap NejiTen work _The Revenant Scroll_, expect to see updates on that within the next few days! I hope to see my readers from this over there as well to continue to critique my writing. Again, thank you to everyone; this cuold not have been completed without your support.**

**~Jade**


End file.
